Putin supports US ceasefire plan but insists on guarantees for a long-lasting peace to address root causes of conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he agrees with the idea of a US-backed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, but noted that the details of the accord need to be discussed and that any truce should lead to a long-lasting peace.
“We agree with the proposals to cease hostilities,” Putin told reporters at a news conference in the Kremlin on Thursday following talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
“But we proceed from the fact that this cessation should be such that it would lead to long-term peace and would eliminate the original causes of this crisis,” he said,
“The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it. But there are issues that we need to discuss,” Putin said. “And I think we need to talk to our American colleagues as well,” he said.
Shortly after Putin’s remarks, US President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Putin’s statement was “very promising” but it “wasn’t complete” and said he was willing to meet or talk with the Russian leader.
He said special US envoy Steve Witkoff was engaged in serious discussions with Russian officials in Moscow.
Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Moscow, said Russia wants guarantees that the ceasefire won’t be used as a chance for Ukrainian troops, especially in Russia’s Kursk region, to receive weapons. Moscow also wants to discuss who is going to monitor the truce, she said.
“Putin said that he’s going to speak with the US president soon to pass on his concerns and questions that continue at this point, but for the time being, [he is] making it clear that Russia is in favour of ending this conflict, but it has to be clearly on their terms,” Jabbari said.
The flurry of diplomacy comes as Russian forces have continued to make territorial advances in eastern Ukraine, and recaptured territory in the Russian region of Kursk, which Ukrainian troops had seized in a surprise incursion in August last year.
Analysts say Ukraine had hoped to keep control of the territory and use it as leverage in negotiations, but Russia last week stepped up its effort to regain control and the Kremlin on Thursday said Moscow’s operation in Kursk was in its final stage.
In the past, Putin’s demands have included Ukraine dropping its request to become part of NATO, Russia maintaining control over the territory seized since the start of the war and for Ukraine to recognise Russia’s annexation of four partially occupied Ukrainian regions in the country’s southeast.
“They see [the ceasefire talks] as an opportunity to get what they need in order to have a long-term settlement in the conflict with Ukraine, because they are adamant that their demands have to be met,” Jabbari said.
Putin’s comments came after Ukraine said it would accept the US proposal following talks with US officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Following the meeting, the US announced the resumption of military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv after a temporary halt.
The US 30-day ceasefire proposal does not include US security guarantees for Ukraine – something that Trump has rejected, saying guarantees should be provided by Ukraine’s European allies.
